*AIR in Japan and For further info were added (on Sep. 20).

As continued from my previous post, this is about Artist-in-Residence (AIR), Part 2.

During the Brush Creek Foundation of the Art (BCFA) AIR last month, we had an open studio event. As I mentioned, while many artist-in-residence programs require or request guest artists to have some contributions such as a workshop, exhibition at the end, or collaboration in the community and so forth, BCFA’ s open studio had no such obligation. That actually made me feel more free and more appreciate it, and willing to share voluntarily. In fact, all eight artists including me chose to attend the open studio and share our work.

During the Residency, I also had encaustic demonstration and let other artists experience encaustic process.

At the studio.

Pianist/ composer was having fun with encaustic! 🙂

The Writer Eric’s first encaustic work.

The Business Benefits Of Visiting An Artist’s StudioIf you are interested in collecting art, viewing art, or even just feeling appreciate art, this article from Forbes may be a good read.

By the way, What are the Benefits of the Artist in Residence?

For a long time, I was not really interested in AIR maybe because I had a space to work on my art near my apartment or inside my house (although it may not be huge) and didn’t want to be bothered by traveling far with all the equipment and art materials all the way to somewhere I cannot have access to the city, town or to art supply stores easily. (I have to admit that I have spent most of my life in a big city, and it has been easy to get around to anywhere/anything). Or paying a rent for an apartment and an art studio, and I felt overwhelmed to leave those or leave daily tasks for weeks for AIR. However, there is a time for everything. This summer was a perfect time for me to get out where I live/work and spend some sharp focused creative time for a project in nature and unfamiliar environment. So, last spring, I decided to apply for one of the AIR programs that I heard is great, and my artist friend recommended me to it a couple years ago. The program is organized by the Brush Creek Foundation of the Arts, and fortunately, I was accepted.

If you are an artist (visual artists, writers, playwrights, musicians/composers, performing artists…), architects, scientists, researchers or academic scholars…etc, you may want to be in AIR because:

It gives you large chunk of time and space outside of your normal routine.

allows you to immerse yourself creatively in your studio

gives you a different environment for your work and living space.

allows you to develop/improve your practice.

helps you create new work.

helps focus on advancing or getting to finish your project without much interruption.

have opportunities to interact or connect with other artists of the same field or different field. (Create/ build/expand networks).

possibly have an access to specialized tools, resources or archives

may have an opportunity to start/establish relationships with curators and those who have interest in art.

connect with the host organization/institution.

contribute to the community with your art.

learn your creative market (or possibly develop new markets).

increase confidence (especially, if you are an emerging artist).

have recognition of being selected and awarded a residency.

may have stipend or financial support.

Those are possible benefits, and it also depends on what your career stage is. I feel the important thing is to know your own goal in the residency and even for your entire career.

What I did in the A.I.R.

During my residency this summer, I resumed working on the series ‘Truth in Emotion, Beyond Time & Space,’ in encaustic mixed media, as its Part 3.

People today love and suffer just as the ancients did. Linked by our humanity, we face much of the same feelings and issues. It truly is beyond time and space.

Continuing from Parts 1 and 2, which I completed in 2015 with 28 works, I integrate both ancient and contemporary elements by layering ca. 7th through 13th century Japanese poems in re-written calligraphy with my encaustic painting. Becoming a witness in a different Time and Space, I combine these with actual images produced using a transfer technique to evidence our own 21st century U.S. At the same time, I invest my own emotional content and imagination.

The process involved photographing nature including wild animals, wall textures and so forth, locally. The sand (very small stones) I found on the ground in front of my studio were embedded in the encaustic and became the ground of the image. Due to the series concept, these elements should originate elsewhere than in Japan. The work is a deep examination of our soul and emotions and also depicts the transient nature of beauty. Dialog with nature became texture in my work.

Also, my father, who passed away last year, was a master calligrapher in Japan and contributed a portion of his work to this series. Therefore, the work I created/create in this series will also function as an homage to him.

Wild deer shows up everyday in front of the visual art studios.

I did collage of the actual sand on the ground of the mixed media as well.

#1: 秋の田の かりほの庵の 苫をあらみ わが衣手は 露にぬれつつ （天智天皇）Translation: The roof cover of the temporary shed for harvest in autumn is so rough that my sleeves are getting wet and wet with dewdrops.

“Best Artist Residency” in Europe!?

There are many Artist in Residency in the U.S. and internationally. I feel the one I experienced this summer was one of the best in the U.S. (At least, it suited me.) I didn’t know much about the Residency programs in Europe or Asia. But, I came across recently this Artnet News post, listing “Best Artist Residency” in Europe. It seems those are from experts’ perspective. The programs are in Germany, Italy, France, Spain and more…

AIR in Japan:I didn’t know much about AIR in Japan. But, I found this source.■ AIR_J is an online database of artist-in-residence programs in Japan.
A lot of organizations welcome non-Japanese artists. So, if you are interested in living/creating in Japan, you should take advantage! (For AIR, awards or opportunities in Japan, they often limit the applicants’ age and/or nationality, which is unfortunately still a part of their culture.)
I have been to Arcas in Ibaraki (- I was invited to write a story at that time when I was a journalist). They have an open studio. For Arcas, if you are only non-Japanese (nationality), you can apply. It seems many organization has a language support. Akiyoshidai International Art Village has Japanese bilingual coordinators who support the artists during the residency. So, if you can speak English, it should be fine.

Are you looking for Artist in Residence programs in the U.S.?

The fellow artists that I met at BCFA AIR have experienced other Residency previously. (Actually, all of us had). The programs below are the ones they recommended. I would suggest you pick what fits you. It depends on your arts career and what you are looking for. Best Wishes!

-Listed in the order of what we (the artists from BCFA AIR) have been in and/or what talked about the most.

For further info:
■ [res artis] is a worldwide network of artist residencies. You can find more listings here as well.■ DutchCulture|TransArtists has a search engine for artist-in-residence opportunities worldwide (with around 1400!).

The publications below are just for your info. I personally don’t know if those are good and true, but it would be your options to check them out. The guideline or application process of each program may be updated at any time.